Tidbits Mountain

The hike to the top of Tidbits Mountain provides a nice cross-section of what the Willamette Foothills has to offer. In just a few short miles the trail passes through stands of massive old Douglas fir trees. Then it traverses beneath impressive rocky monoliths, climbs up to the site of an old lookout tower, and opens up to 360-degree views of the surrounding peaks. On a clear day, all of Central Oregon and beyond unfolds before you. In 1915, one of the first fire lookouts in Oregon was built here. A wooden platform was built on the summit block and a Forest Service cabin was placed less than a quarter mile below. In 1926, a cabin was built on the summit. While it seems spacious to sit up there now, imagine building a structure on that rocky pinnacle! The cabin was destroyed in the late 1960s, but remnants of the old lookout remain scattered around the mountaintop. On your way back down, consider taking a different route back to the trail. About 50 yards from the summit, a user path veers off to the left and goes about a quarter mile back down to the main trail.